Harrisons in Hong Kong

Sad to be a long way away when things are so dramatic at home. The past 48 hours at Bayview Street, Mt Kuring-Gai have been rather stressful for those we waved Goodbye to about twelve days ago. Great footage of our good friends Annette and Ian on the ABC News website (love the uniform Ian! Neville’s only a bit jealous…). See the article about the fire here.

Sounds like good backburning and kinder weather have it all under control now.

Meanwhile we had a very small fire for our Chinese style BBQ this evening. In fact it was so small that we all had to settle for medium rare. Next time we’ll take a feather from Uncle Phil (Harrisons) cap and chuck on plenty more fuel. Nice quiet spot too (apart from the freeway noise – just like home) – on the MacLehose Trail just about the Crossroads Village site near Tuen Mun.

Another highlight of the weekend was getting a mobile phone. Cell phone rates are excellent in Hong Kong and international calls are included in the plan so we are contactable again. Please email us if you’d like the number. The fun part was getting the old Optus phone lock broken so that we could put in a local SIM card on Neville’s old phone. The phone guy from 3 Network said we couldn’t use the phone so we went to “Dicky Telecom” in Kowloon and for AU$12 a guy on the street “dickied” around with the phone software from his PC until it was unlocked. Tricky Dicky.

Today we took two of the children’s new friends and walked up the mountain behind Crossroads, (which may be called Castle Peak…like  the road…we’ll have to find out). It took us two hours and Jessie, Sam and I made it right to the top, Neville kindly waiting with the others not far below resting on a rock. It felt great to get out … and all a walk from our front door.

Tomorrow we all start in earnest, the children at school and me in the shipping department, and Neville in the Global Hand office ( although he actually started on Friday)

Neville and I did a quick trip to the local markets in Tuen Mun, while the children played with a new Crossroads friend. We bought some fish which were flapping in water in front of us only minutes before they were given to us in the bag! We also saw live chickens and a cage of frogs for sale. Tonight Neville made chicken soup… with chicken legs included!!

Neville and I had a chance to sit down with each of the children and look at their materials for the next two weeks. Their Sydney teacher had prepared a tape explaining it all to them and talked each child through the work on the tape. They keep asking when they can start!!

We arrived!!! Yee haa. Josh B, Tom P and Steve picked us up from the airport in two cars, as they were also dropping someone else off at the same time.

We then had a few days to settle in. We have a great apartment, where you can see the sea out of the lounge room window ( as well as about 6 blocks of apartments 30 stories high,) and beautiful trees and a mountain out of the bedroom and kitchen window. We have a kitchen, lounge room, dining room and 3 bedrooms. We even have a roof to go up onto with tables and chairs up there. We are very grateful to have such a lovely home.

A teary farewell to our very special Bayview Street neighbours. We will miss you! We were also extremely grateful to Brett, our driver from North Shore Airport Service… who as Neville paid him the money for the trip, gave it straight back to Neville as a donation to Crossroads.

Bec Memo, Amelia, Miguel, Izzy, Pablo , Isobel H. and Lilly T. came to the airport to see us off , and we were met there by John B. and we all had a Mac Donalds lunch together before we had to go through the gates.

Wow, what wonderful friend, neighbours and family we have. Thank you so much to all those who helped us in those last few days to move furniture, belongings, boxes…or to clean the fridge, the walls, to move the washing machine, to mow the grass…. you were all absolutely amazing. We felt so honoured to have you as our co-workers supporting us in this really special way. Thank you!